The present disclosure relates to a light emitting device and a method of manufacturing the same.
High output light emitting devices constructed with light emitting elements such as LEDs have been used as light sources in the automotive applications, and the like. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-127679 discloses a high output light emitting device for use as an automotive light source having enhanced heat dissipation performance by virtue of a heat dissipation layer formed so as to cover the periphery of the light emission face of the light emitting element. According to the Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-127679, the light emitting device disclosed therein can achieve sharp-edged light distribution characteristics in addition to improved heat dissipation properties because of the heat dissipation layer formed to cover the periphery of the light emission face of the light emitting element, which is said to be suited, for example, for automotive headlamp applications. Here, the sharp-edged light distribution in that patent publication is understood that there is a large luminance difference between the inside and the outside of the light emission surface.
However, there is a need for more efficient extraction of light emitted from light emitting elements in the light emitting devices for use as high output light sources for automotive applications and the like.
Accordingly, one object of the present disclosure is to provide a light emitting device achieving a large luminance difference between the inside and the outside of the light emission surface as well as efficient extraction of the light emitted by the light emitting elements.
According to one embodiment, a light emitting device includes: a substrate, a light emitting element disposed on the substrate, a light transmissive member having a plate shape and having an upper face and a lower face disposed such that the lower face opposes a light emission face of the light emitting element, a light reflecting member covering lateral faces of the light emitting element and lateral faces of the light transmissive member, and a light shielding frame disposed on the upper face of the light reflecting member surrounding the light transmissive member, wherein the light shielding frame has an opening, an inner perimeter of the opening is positioned at a distance apart from an outer perimeter of the upper face of the light transmissive member in a plan view as seen from above, and the light reflecting member is interposed between the inner perimeter of the opening and the outer perimeter of the upper face of the light transmissive member.
The method of manufacturing a light emitting device according to certain embodiment of the present includes: mounting a light emitting element on a substrate, bonding a light transmissive member having a plate shape such that a lower face of the light transmissive member faces a light emission face of the mounted light emitting element, forming a resin wall having upper end higher than an upper face of the light transmissive member in locations at a predetermined distance apart from the light emitting element and the light transmissive member and interposed by the light emitting element and the light transmissive member while maintaining flexibility to be deformed by pressing force, disposing a light shielding frame having an opening at a predetermined height from the substrate by pressing the light shielding frame to be in contact with the upper end of the resin wall such that an inner perimeter of the opening is positioned on or outward of the outer perimeter of the upper face of the light transmissive member, and forming a light reflecting member that surrounds the light emitting element and the light transmissive member between the substrate and the light shielding frame by supplying s light reflecting resin into a space between the substrate and the light shielding frame.
The light emitting device according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure can achieve a large luminance difference between the inside and the outside of the light emission surface as well as efficient extraction of the light emitted by the light emitting element.
The method of manufacturing a light emitting device according to certain embodiment of the present disclosure can allow for manufacture of a light emitting device achieving a large luminance difference between the inside and the outside of the light emission surface as well as efficient light extraction of the light emitted by the light emitting element.